CROSSROADS : Girlchild shouldn’t be denied right to education

What you need to know:

  • Sadly, some stakeholders, including MPs think otherwise.
  • Time and again, we have been told: “If you educate a man, you educate one person. If you educate a woman, you educate a nation.”

To educate or not to educate the girlchild? This is a question that requires no second thought. A girlchild must be educated. Even those, who become pregnant, while are still studying should get a second chance to go on with their education if they so wish. Sadly, some stakeholders, including MPs think otherwise.

Time and again, we have been told: “If you educate a man, you educate one person. If you educate a woman, you educate a nation.”

It was the renowned Ghanaian educator, Dr James Emmanuel Kwegyir-Aggrey, who brought the adage into international limelight in his campaign for girls to access equal education opportunities with boys. Most parents in Africa after independence wanted to educate their sons and not daughters.

The wise saying has been used to inspire parents across Africa to invest in girl education just as they do for their boys. The benefits of educating girls are felt individually and by the larger community and the vice versa is true.

It’s very saddening to see studies showing that in sub-Saharan Africa there are low female literacy rates! This means more boys than girls go to school. Unlike boys, girls face various challenges, including pregnancy. Studies show that, across nations, pregnancy contributes to school dropouts.

In Tanzania, pregnancy is one of the major reasons for school dropouts among teenage girls. Secondary school dropouts due to pregnancy increased from 5.2 per cent in 2003 to 21.9 per cent in 2007. Among the factors for pregnancy to school girls include poverty, peer pressure, cultural practices, poor parental monitoring, negative attitude towards education, among others.

The patriarchal society often forgets that women are the agents of social and economic development. Nelson Mandela once said: “Education is the most powerful weapon, which you can use to change the world.” We cannot positively change our nation and the world at large by leaving one gender behind in education.

In 1967, Mwalimu Julius Nyerere emphasised the role of education as a strategy to develop Tanzania. It was a road map in the fight against the three major national enemies: poverty, ignorance and disease. He never said educate boys only, it was education for all!

In Dr Kwegyir-Aggrey’s philosophy, we can effectively change the world if we invest in educating girls and women because if you educate a girl you educate the nation.

It was really surprising to hear a recent debate in the House, where some MPs were so candid that schoolgirls, who become pregnant should not be allowed to return to school after delivery. Regardless of men behind the mess (some belong to jail), why should we punish girls?

They say, education is key to life, should the government and society at large take that key away from a girl just because she was pregnant? Education is there to expand the human mind through knowledge, which enables us to solve problems, teach others and transform our society. Why should we deny this to a girl just because she got pregnant?

Education is a right for all children, this should be without exception. For the government, parents or guardians, it is very disappointing to see a girlchild dropping out of school due to pregnancy. However, preventing them from returning to school does them more harm than good, putting their future at risk.

A blanket condemnation of pregnant schoolgirls should not be made by MPs and those, who hold power. Yes, some girls engage in love affairs, but others are raped or taken advantage of by adults around them; relatives, family friends or teachers.

Each case should be dealt with individually and those, who are able should get a second chance to continue with their studies and realize their full potential to build the nation.

The author is an assistant lecturer, Dar es Salaam University College of Education (DUCE).